Latch



Nov. 1, 1938. w. N. EDWARDS LATCH Filed Sept. 18, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. fi jlliam M 541mm;

w ATTORNEYJ.

NOV. 1, 1938. I w EDWARDS 2,135,209

LATCH Filed Sept. 18, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENIOR.

/. 3 144mm mam as Patented Nov. 1 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11Claims.

This invention relates to locks and particularly to a lock attachmentfor windmills, windchargers and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic means for holdingthe rudder of a windmill out of the wind in inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a windmill lock disposedadjacent the mill head and rudder which may be remotely controlled by anoperator from a ground or other suitable position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Windmill lock whichrelieves the strain on the rudder pull out mechanism when the lockoperates to hold the rudder in inoperative condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lock mechanismfor keeping the rudder engagement latch in retracted position topreclude said engagement until the lock is conditioned by suitableactuation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for operating thelock mechanism intermediate said lock and the operators station.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification anddrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a windmill with my lockmechanism positioned thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lock showing its associated windmillelements. I

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the primary latch member, part thereof beingbroken away.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lock, showing the latchmember in retractedor locked-out position, the cross bar and primary latch lever beingshown in cross-section.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the lock showing the latch member in engagementwith a cross bar on the rudder, the rudder cross bar and lever being incross-section.

Fig. 7-is a plan view of the look after latch and rudder disengagementandbefore the secondary latch has been released, the cross bar and leverbeing shown in cross-section. V

Fig. 8 is a fragmental side view of a modified form of my lock with ameans for actuating said lock.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the modified form showing its associatedwindmill elements.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l0l0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l l--II of Fig. 8.

The embodiment of my invention is particularly adapted to a windmill l4and in this environment consists of a windmill head l5 rotatably mountedon a turn table I6, the latter being supported upon a trestled towerstructure l1. The front of the head carries a hub 18 to which the spidersupport for the wind wheel vanes (not shown) is attached. Mounted forvertical reciprocating movement, impelled by the wind wheel, is a pumprod l9 disposed centrally of the turn- 0 table and tower structure.Rearwardly of the head and rotatably supported thereby is a rudderstructure 29 comprising two longitudinal angle bars 2| fastened togetherby cross bars 22. A suitable means for retaining the rudder in resil- 15ient operative position longitudinally of the wind wheel axis comprisesan expansion spring 23 fastened to a lateral extension 24 on the head,the free end of 'said spring engaging a cross bar (not shown) of therudder. This spring urges the 2,0 rudder toward a contraction spring 25mounted on a carriage 26 and rigidly fastened to the mill head IS. Ameans for swinging the rudder out of the wind to place the mill ininoperative condition comprises a chain 2! fastened to the rud- 25 derby means of an adjustment rod 28. The chain is led through the mill headand directed to a vertical condition centrally of the tower in anyconventional manner such as by a roller 29. The chain may be actuated bythe operator from 30 a ground position in any suitable manner or by amodification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8.

My lock 3|] is disposed adjacent the path of the chain intermediate thechain adjustment rod and the point where said chain enters the mill 35head, and consists of a base 31 having a downwardly extending flange 32which is fastened to an extension 33 of the mill head by bolts 34. Thebottom of the base is provided with a frame 35 (Fig. 3) which holds agrooved roller 36 for re- 40 ceiving the chain 21. Aprimary latch member31 is rotatably mounted on the base by means of a pin 38' and is spacedtherefrom by a riser 39. The primary latch member has a lock-out notch40 (Fig. l) formed in its outer side which 45 is adjacent a deeper andinclined release notch 41, said notches being so disposed as to engage aprimary latch lever 42 which is pivotally mounted on the base by athreaded pin 43, and spring-urged toward the lock notch by spring 50 44engaging said lever by pin 45 and fastened to pin 38 by suitable washer46. The lower end of the lever carries a ring member 4! (Fig.3) throughwhich the chain 21 passes intermediate the roller 35 and adjustment rod28. The pri- 55 mary latch member 31-is spring urged against the leverby an expansion spring 48 (Fig. 3), a

' secondary latch catch 54 projecting from. said primarylatch member. Asecondary latch re-' lease is provided by a finger 55 rotatably mount-'.ed on the primary latch member by a bolt 56.

The finger is normally held extended beyond the member into the path ofthe .rudder cross bar by a spring 51 fastened to a pin 58 on the primarylatch member. The finger carries an arcuate and pointed secondary latchtrip piece 59.

which, when the secondary latch is operative, is adapted to trip saidmember by wedging between the primary latch member and a lug 60 on thesecondary latch lever thereby raising the latter to disengage it fromthe latch catch 54.

1 The primary latch is devised to hold the rudder in inoperativeposition or out of the wind and to this end an indentation BI is 'formedin it toreceive a cross bar 22, on the rudder when the latter is swungadjacent the indentation by meansof chain 21 provided the lock is placedin proper condition.

, In operation the position of the rudder is changed from that shown inFig. 1 (in the wind) to the position indicated in- Fig. 5 by drawing thechain 2! downwardly; This action swings the rudder substantially degreesso that the cross bar 22 thereon is adjacent the indentation 6| formed'in the primary latch member 37.

When the cross bar is'in the latter position a V circular lug or ring 62fastened on the chain adjacent the adjustment rod 28 contacts the ringmember 4'!v on the primary latch, lever. Upon further downward movementof the chain 21, this lug moves the primary latch lever from thelook-out notch 48 to a forward position which allows the primary latchmember 3'I't0 be moved outwardly by spring 48 thereby placing theprimary latch lever in the deeper inclined notch .4I formed in theprimary latch member. The latch then engages cross bar 22, as showninFig. 6. The downward pressure on the chain is thereafter released andthe rudder or vane is held out of the wind, that is, in an inoperativeposition by indentation 6| for any desired length of time, thuseliminating all strain upon .the chain and other associated mechanism.

Toplace the mill in operative position the chain 21 is pulled downwardlywhich moves the primary latch lever 42 to a position indicated in Fig.'7. This further movement of the lever retractsthe' primary latch 31 toa position where the secondary latch lever 5| looks upon the latch catch54. The chain is then released which permits the rudder to swing clearof indentation 6|, and also allows the primary latch lever 42 to moveback into'the lock-out notch 48 by action of the spring 44. Upon furthermovement of the rudder away'from the indentation 6| the cross bar 22contacts and swings the release finger 55 wherebytrip 59 is introducedbetween the primary latch lever and the lug 60' on the secondary latchlever 5l.' This action raisedthe secondary latch'lever above theinclined catch positioned on a bracket H beneath the base 63' and isthen led in a suitable manner through the mill head as by roller 12.member 13 is rotatably mounted on the-base by means of a pin 14, and isspaced therefrom by riser 15.

A secondary latch lever lfiis pivotally mounted upon the base by pin 71,the primary latch being urged against it by spring l8hooked to a lug 19on themill head. The secondary The primary latch lever 42 cannot beactuated unless A primary latch latch lever has a lock out notch 88formed therein and an upper notch 8|. The notches on'the lever are urgedinto engagement with the primary latch member byspring which is fastenedto the base bracket by lug 888. As shown in Figs. 9 and-10, the primarylatch lever is in the lock out notch; In this position, the latch memberis heldout of the path of contact with the ruddercross bar 82 to permitsaid rudder to swing in or out for wind control. 7

To operate this lock, the chain 69 is pulled downward causing the rudderto swing inwardly adjacent an indentation 83 on the primary latchmember. A secondary chain84, attached to the lower end of the secondarylatch lever, is then pulled downwardly which allows the primary latchmember 13 to fall into upper notch 8| on the indentation 83 away fromthe cross bar 82, chain" 69 taking the position shown in Fig. 9.

It will be understood that in a high wind, the vane'or rudder must befree to swing in order to control the mill. For this purpose, the lockmeans are so constructed that if, during regular operation of the millin such a wind, the rudder is swung over to the lock, the cross bar 82contacts the .outer edge of the arcuate right hand end of the latchmember 13 (as seen in Fig. 9) and opposite end of latch member13,-moving out the upper notch 81 of the lever 15, is immediately-engaged by the lower notch so that the rudderengaging end of the latchmember 16, comprising the indentation 83, is held back out of the pathof cross bar 82, leaving the rudder free to swing with the wind. To lockthe mill now it is merely necessary to pull chain 34 (Fig. 10) wherebylatch swings this'end of said member inwardly. The

member '16v and its indentation B3.springs into en' gaging'positionrelative'to the rudder cross bar.

' A novel means of operating the chains 69 and 84 is shown inFig. 8.These means comprise a swivel member. 86 having a circular .aperture 81which slidably receives the windmill pump rod 88. The chain 69 isattached to. a vertical rod 89, the lower end of the rod being fastenedto'the swivel by pin Bl]. Chain84, attached to a vertical rod 9| whichruns slidably through a vertical aperture in the swivel 86, is fastenedto a lower swivel member 92. The lower swivel has a circular aperture toreceive-the pump rod. To preclude any substantial rotation of theswivels, bars 93 are fastened thereto and extend'beyond the legs 94 ofthe windmill trestle, said legs. thus limiting swinging movement of thebars 93. The two swivels may be urged or pulled downwardly by anysuitable means as for instance a Windlass or lever arrangement.

The means of the present invention, while disclosed herein as associatedwith a windmill, are of such character as to be utilized in otherenvironments where a similar relationship between a driving means and acontrol is present, the essence of the invention comprising adirectivemember of a class of a vane orrudder pivotally mounted and alatch member associated therewith for selectively holding. the directivemember in an inoperative position but adapted to be conditioned in suchmanner as normallyto pre clude latching of the directive member so thatthe latter will remain operative for long periods of time withoutobservation or adjustment on the part of the operator.

What is claimed is:

l. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivoted vane, said meanscomprising a latch member pivotally mounted adjacent the path of pivotalmovement of the vane,,;resilient means urging thelajtch member topivotal movement into said path, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent andnormally holding the latch member out of the path of the vane, means onthe latch member for engaging the vane, means for actuating the lever torelease the latch member into engagement with the vane, and means torelease the vane from such engagement.

2. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means comprising a latch member pivotally mounted adjacentthe path of pivotal movement of the vane, resilient means urging thelatch member to pivotal movement into said path, a lever pivotallymounted adjacent and normally holding the latch member out of the pathof the vane, means on the latch member for engaging the vane, means foractuating the lever to release the latch member into engagement with thevane, and means to release the vane from such engagement, and to restorethe lever to normal position.

3. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means comprising a primary latch member pivotally mountedadjacent the path of pivotal movement of the vane, a lever pivotallymounted adjacent the latch member, resilient means for urging the latchmember into the path of the vane and for yieldably holding the latchmember and lever in contact with one another, means whereby the levernormally holds the latch member out of the path of contact with thevane, means on the latch member for engaging the vane, means forswinging the latter to bring the vane and said engaging means intoadjacency, means operative upon attainment of suchposition for actuatingthe lever to release the latch member into engagement with the vane,means for further ac.- tuating the lever to retract the latch memberfrom engaging relation with the vane, secondary latch means cooperatingwith the primary latch member and operative upon retraction of thelatter for restraining the primary latch member until the vane has movedclearof said engaging means, and trip means contacted by the vane aftersaid clearing movement thereof and releasing the secondary from theprimary latch member.

4,. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means comprising a primary latch member pivotally mountedadjacent the path of pivotal movement of the vane, a lever pivotallymounted adjacent the latch member, resilient means for urging the latchmember intothe path of the vane and for yieldably holding the latchmember and lever in contact with one another, means whereby the levernormally holds the latch member out of the path of contact with thevane, means on the latch member for engagin the vane, means for swingingthe latter to bring the vane and said engaging means into adjacency,means operative upon attainment of such pesition for actuating the leverto release the latch member into engage, ment with the vane, means forfurther actuating the lever to retract the latch member from engagingrelation with the vane, secondary latch means cooperating with theprimary latch member and operative upon, retraction of the latter forrestraining the primary latch member until the vane has moved clear ofsaid engaging means, and means for releasing the primary from thesecondary latch member.

5. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means com! prising a latch member pivotally mounted ,adjacentthe path of pivotal movement of the vane, a lever pivotally mountedadjacent the latch member, resilient means for urging the latch membertoward the path of pivotal movement of the vane and for yieldablyholding the lever and latch member in contact with one another, means onthe latch member for engaging said vane when the latter is broughtadjacent thereto by pivotal movement of the vane, means for adjustingcontact relation between the latch member and lever whereby the formerin one position is held by the lever out of the path of the vane and inanother position is released thereby into said path for engaging thevane and holding the vane inoperative, means for retracting the latchmember from the vane by further movement of the lever, means associatedwith the latch member and operative upon such retraction thereof forholding the latch member retracted to provide for clearing of saidengaging means by the vane, and means associated with the latch memberand contacted by the vane upon movement of the vane toward operativeposition for releasing the latch member, said lever and latch memberbeing thereby restored to a normal relation wherein the latter is heldout of the path of the vane by the lever.

6. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means comprising a latch member pivotally mounted adjacentthe path of pivotal movement of the vane, resilient means urging thelatch member into said path, means on the latch member for engaging thevane, a lever pivotally mounted ad- V jacent the latch member, meansonth'e lever adapted to cause the latter in one position'to hold'thelatch member out of said path and in another position toeffect itsprojection thereinto, and means for actuating the lever into saidpositions. 7' a '7. Latch means adapted to be associated with apivotally mounted vane, said latch means comprising a latch memberpivotally mounted adjacent the path'of pivotal movement of the vane,resilient means urging the latch member into said path, means on thelatch member for engaging the vane, a lever pivotally mounted adjacentthe latch 'member, means on the lever adapted to cause the latter in oneposition to hold the latch. member out of said path and in anotherposition to effect'it's projection thereinto, means .for actuating thelever into said positions, and

means for yieldably holding the lever in its given positions.

8. Latch means adapted to be associated with a pivotally mounted vane,said latch means comprising a latch member pivotally mounted ad jacentthe path of pivotal movement of the vane-resilient means urging thelatch member into said path, means on the latch memberfor engaging thevane, arlever pivotally mounted adjacent the latch member, means on thelever adapted to cause the latter in one position to hold'the latchmember out of said path and in another position to effect its projectionthereinto, means for actuating the lever into said positions, means foryieldablyholding the lever in its given positions, and means on thelatch member adapted upon contact of said member by the vane to mo'vethe latch member out of the path of the vane.

9. The combination with a longitudinally movable shaft or the likehaving a pair of independently'operable chains, cables or similardevices disposed adjacent thereto and substantially parallel therewith,of a swivel member slidably embracing thei'shaft and having one of saidchains attached thereto for actuation upon slidable movement of theswivel member, said swivel member being provided with an aperture forslidably receiving the other of said chains, and a second swivel memberslidably embracing said shaft below the first swivel member and havingsaid other chain attached thereto for actuation upon slidable'movementof the second swivel member. V

10. A windmill comprising a support, a wind-. wheel and vane thereforrotatably mounted'on the support, the vane being associated with thewheel for normally facing the latter into the wind, means providing forpivotal movement of the vane relative to the Wheel and out of operativerelation therewith, upon the imposition of un-' usual stress upon thevane, means normally restoring the vane to operative alignment withthewheel subsequent to such stresses, a latch member on said supportadapted to engage the vane upon pivotal movement of the latter into aposition adjacent the latch member, and means to condition the latchmember for precluding engagement thereof with the vane to provide fornormal uninterrupted operation of the windmill,

11. In combination, a directive member of the class of a vane or ruddermounted for pivotal movement transversely of its longitudinal axis,

a movable latch member mounted independently of the directive member,the latter in operative position being disposed relatively remote fromthe latch member, means normally holding the latch member in the path ofpivotal movement of the directive member for engaging the latter uponpivotal movement thereof to a position adjacent the latch member, andmeans to condition the latch member for normally precluding suchengagement upon such pivotal movement of thedirective member. Y r

. WILLIAM N. EDWARDS.

